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Horse & Faders <br />Jack Price, equestrian advocate, spoke about the horseback and wagon users of the trail and the <br />long experience they have with the history of getting the trail corridor acquired, developed and <br />working with the neighboring land owners to build support for the multi-purpose recreational <br />trail. Jack's stories about the State analyzing the multi -billion dollar value of this remarkable <br />cross -state right of way back in the ig8o's (purchased for a mere $i.i million) is testament to the <br />great vision of all of the stakeholders. This link through Ellensburg, perhaps the "horse capital" <br />of Washington State, is a very important segment of the trail system. <br />Citizen Comments <br />Several citizens attending the meeting pointed out that the land available for the trail connec- <br />tion is being developed for new housing and we shouldn't wait any longer to establish the trail <br />corridor as public policy. One citizen voiced concern about the unsafe intersection at Brick <br />Road/Willow/Vantage Highway, and how unsafe this is as a pedestrian crossing now with high- <br />way traffic coming into the city, and did not feel the safety flag crossing system would work at <br />this location. Some citizens felt that the trail should avoid existing residential areas where <br />possible and particularly avoid Willow and nearby established neighborhoods. One route that <br />was suggested is to head east from Sanders to Pfennig Road, crossing the highway at an existing <br />safer interesection at Knudsen's Lumber. <br />Willow Street was an option that was considered in earlier trail routes, but not generally a <br />popular route for the residents along the street. Some of the citizens attending the meeting felt <br />that a trail along Willow Street would be too noisy for their neighborhood. They said it is <br />currently too noisy now from college students using the street. An option to the Willow Street <br />corridor is Alder Street, one block to the west, which is also a potentially better crossing of the <br />Vantage Highway. According to the City of Ellensburg, there will be a signalized intersection at <br />Alder and Euclid at some point in the near future, which increases the safety of the highway <br />crossing for the trail. <br />_?;ohn'Wayne Pioneer Frail Reconnection Study Final Report September 2001 <br />14 <br />